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  6. article_body => "<p>Nicklas Backstrom is on the final year of his contract with the Capitals and has reportedly begun talks with the team himself. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/nhl\/saturday-headlines-long-see-mike-babcock-coach\/?show_id=17243\" target=\"_blank\">According to a report by Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday<\/a>, Backstrom has \"begun talks with the Capitals without an agent.\"<\/p>\n<p>Backstrom's current deal was negotiated by agent Marc Levine. There has been no indication that Backstrom has left Levine or the Sports Management Group, Inc. agency. Levine has not yet been reached for comment.<\/p>\n<p>This would not be an unprecedented move within the Capitals organization, however,&nbsp;as Alex Ovechkin negotiated his current contract with the team without an agent, using his mother instead as his main negotiator.<\/p>\n<p>Friedman noted&nbsp;that Backstrom's willingness to begin these talks without an agent was a positive sign for the possibility of reaching an agreement on an extension.<\/p>\n<p>\"I would think that would probably be a good sign for the player and the team that they feel they can get something done together,\" Friedman said.<\/p>\n<p>Backstrom and Braden Holtby are the team's two big-name players on the final year of their contracts. General manager Brian MacLellan noted in September that he intended to stay in contact with both players throughout the season.<\/p>\n<p>\"We're going to communicate with both players,\" he said. \"Both guys have been a big part of our organization, big part of our success. We'd love to keep both. We're going to play it out until the end here.\"<\/p>\n<p>For his part, Backstrom has been open about his desire to remain with the team.<\/p>\n<p>\"I've played here my whole career, so I would like to stay here,\" he said at the end of last season. \"I love it here.\"<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE CAPITALS NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Caps Fall:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/vrana-dangerous-panik-struggling-and-caps-are-taking-too-many-penalties\" target=\"_self\">Observations from loss<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sound of the Capitals' season:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/sound-capitals-season-ping\">Ping!<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Goalie duel:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/capitals\/caps-lose-goalie-duel-7-round-shootout\">Caps lose to Canucks in shootout<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/capitals-faceoff\/episodes\/7ea01877-16f0-4ebd-890d-c5d1efd2dc9c\/embed?theme=light-blue\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n"
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Capitals

Capitals

Nicklas Backstrom is on the final year of his contract with the Capitals and has reportedly begun talks with the team himself. According to a report by Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday, Backstrom has "begun talks with the Capitals without an agent."

Backstrom's current deal was negotiated by agent Marc Levine. There has been no indication that Backstrom has left Levine or the Sports Management Group, Inc. agency. Levine has not yet been reached for comment.

This would not be an unprecedented move within the Capitals organization, however, as Alex Ovechkin negotiated his current contract with the team without an agent, using his mother instead as his main negotiator.

Friedman noted that Backstrom's willingness to begin these talks without an agent was a positive sign for the possibility of reaching an agreement on an extension.

"I would think that would probably be a good sign for the player and the team that they feel they can get something done together," Friedman said.

Backstrom and Braden Holtby are the team's two big-name players on the final year of their contracts. General manager Brian MacLellan noted in September that he intended to stay in contact with both players throughout the season.

"We're going to communicate with both players," he said. "Both guys have been a big part of our organization, big part of our success. We'd love to keep both. We're going to play it out until the end here."

 

For his part, Backstrom has been open about his desire to remain with the team.

"I've played here my whole career, so I would like to stay here," he said at the end of last season. "I love it here."

MORE CAPITALS NEWS: